The present invention relates to an articulated bed which includes head/back and foot/leg sections individually articulated by associated motors and linkages with one or both sections also including a vibrator or massage motor. Such articulated or adjustable beds are relatively conventional, along with hand-held controllers associated therewith. Examples of such articulated beds can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,787,528, Re. 31,603 and 5,544,376 granted Aug. 4, 1998, Jun. 19, 1984 and Aug. 13, 1996, respectively.
Heretofore no articulated beds have been provided with a vibrating mechanism for the purpose of awakening a person/ patient lying on or upon such bed. The desirability of being gently awakened by vibrations, as opposed to the cataclysmic sounds of an electric alarm buzzer or the blare of a radio broadcasting raucous sound or song are readily apparent. Vibration is both emotionally and physiologically therapeutic to the human mind and body, and awakening to vibrations is similarly therapeutic, particularly when awakening occurs, as in keeping with the present invention, at relatively low vibrations which progressively increase to a maximum thereby awakening a person slowly, gently and absent day-beginning anxiety, as most often occurs when one awakens to a conventional alarm clock or radio alarm.
In keeping with the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel system by which a bed can be vibrated at a predetermined time to awake a person sleeping thereon. The vibration awakening system of the present invention utilizes one or both of conventional massage or vibrator motors associated with the head and foot sections of a conventional articulated bed. However, rather than utilizing these vibrator motors strictly for conventional therapeutic/massage purposes while a person is awake, the present invention permits a desired wake-time to be programmed into a microprocessor/microcontroller which in turn continuously compares the present time of day with the stored wake-time setting. When a match occurs between the latter times, the microprocessor generates a wake authorization signal which through a transmitter is transmitted to a receiver associated with the articulated bed. Another conventional microprocessor/microcontroller energizes the vibrator motor or motors in response to the wake authorization signal awakening the user by vibrations which last a predetermined length of time.
In further accordance with this invention, the amplitude or speed of vibration is preferably progressively increased from inception to a maximum such that a person is gently and progressively awakened.
In further accordance with the invention, the vibrating motors are deactivated after a predetermined length of time, such as thirty (30) minutes, to assure termination of vibration operation absent human intervention.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.